Don't Forget To Remember Me
by AdaliaWren
Summary: Not everyone in Storybrooke has been reunited with their loved ones since the curse was lifted. Then again, not everyone is sure that their loved one will want to see them again. No one can guarantee a happy ending. Starts right after S2/E2 with Snow and Emma taken captive - mostly in-canon, slightly AU. This is my first attempt at publishing any fan fic, so be gentle :).
1. Prologue

_Prologue – 15 years before Regina's curse_

The tiny baby swaddled in her arms opened her perfect, rosebud-shaped mouth in an equally perfect yawn. A thrill ran up her spine, an unexpected jolt of something she'd never felt before this day, something astounding and remarkable and miraculous. The unconditional love that a mother had for her child.

Love. It wasn't ever meant for her. She'd known that for as long as she'd known her own name. The concept was foreign, unrealistic, prohibited even. Love caused almost every problem that anyone ever had. Love meant unhappiness, love meant fear, love meant death. Yet still, people would do, say, give anything for one fleeting moment of pure, unadulterated love. She'd never understood why, no matter how many times she pondered it.

In one instant, though, it all made sense. The moment they'd placed this extraordinary new life into her arms, the years of wondering 'why?' disappeared in an instant. Every single nerve in her body felt it, and without a doubt, she knew that she would do anything for her daughter, this child borne from her body. Anything.

So enthralled she was with examining the baby's delicate features, the smooth, dark dusting of hair covering her perfectly-formed head, the miniature fingernails that she took no notice of the austere figure when it appeared next to her bed.

"In thousands of years, our people have never known such shame."

She looked up sharply, realizing that the voice came from Esme. Esme, who had raised her, taught her their craft, and now guided her steps. Esme, whose word was law among their kind, whom not one had ever dared to cross. Would she be the first to do so?

"There is no shame in this child." She gazed lovingly at the baby. "She will never feel ashamed of who she is and how she was created. I shall make certain of that."

"You will raise her then?" Esme's words dripped with disapproval and disappointment. "You choose to condemn her to a life of separation, a life where she will be an outcast, where she will never fully be a part of any world. I had hoped your good sense would prevail."

"I will give her a life full of love." She hissed as quietly as she could, not wanting to disturb the baby. "I can offer her everything, including love."

"Love." Esme sniffed, haughtily. "Love is for the weak and helpless, not for our kind."

"I love her." She pulled the baby closer to her chest. "We are capable of love."

"You are aware that she has no gifts? She will not be like you. She will never be part of us, she will never be accepted. If her parentage is discovered – "

"No one will ever know of her parentage!" She shouted, startling the baby, who woke crying. Soothing her daughter, she turned back to Esme. "You and I are the only ones who know. If her father's identity is ever discovered, I'll know it was you, and I swear upon my child's life, Esme, I will kill you with my bare hands."

"Secrets will always be discovered. If you truly loved this child, you would kill her now and forget that she ever existed. She will bring you unimaginable heartache, as will you for her." Esme looked satisfied, content, positive that her directive would be followed without question, as they always had been.

"Get. Out." She muttered through clenched teeth, a rush of white-hot fury coursing through her veins. "You will never speak of this idea again, and you will never cause her a moment of sorrow. I will make sure of that. Get out of my sight, Esme, because if you don't, I will place a curse upon you that will make every other curse ever wrought seem like child's play."

Esme turned to go, unable to resist one last barb. "You'll regret this day and you'll regret your choices. Mark my words." With that, she was gone.

She put her lips to the baby's downy head, trying to ignore Esme's words, trying to pretend that they'd never been spoken. "Don't worry, my darling. My Azure." She whispered, giving her daughter a name beloved of her heart. "I will never let anything bad happen to you, my darling Azure. I will love and protect you with my life, you will never have reason for fear or doubt, and I will never, ever lie to you." She closed her eyes, never more sure of any words she had ever spoken.

That was only the first of many lies that she told her daughter.


	2. Chapter 1

_Chapter 1_

Two sharp raps at the door to the cottage. Short and precise, enough for Emma to startle and glance at the door with her heart pounding in her throat. Instinctively, she pulled a sleeping Snow closer to her as the door opened and a young teenager walked in, a tin tray with food balanced precariously on one arm and two tin cups clasped in the other. She was a beautiful girl with dark wavy hair that hung to her waist and kind dark blue eyes.

"Don't try anything. Won't do you any good with your hands tied and half the camp within earshot, and I just washed this morning." The girl set the tray down on a table in the corner. She tilted her head toward the back room. "I brought corn cakes, Cora. I know you like them." Taking a plate from the tray, she opened Cora's door, handed it to her, shut and locked the door, and then turned back to Emma, who was still shielding Snow protectively. The girl saw Snow, and seemed to lose focus for a moment, then picked up one of the trays and brought it over to Emma, placing it on the floor with one of the cups. "Is she okay?"

"She woke up for a little while." Emma replied, her voice much quieter than usual. "I think she just needs her rest."

"I hope you'll forgive Mulan and Aurora for their harsh treatment." The girl sank down on the floor into a sitting position several feet away from Emma and Snow. "Things have been…quite stressful here lately, ever since the curse was lifted and time began moving again. Mulan has an innate need to prove her warrior abilities and poor Aurora has been dealt more than her share of blows. There's a great deal of anger and confusion in this camp. Everyone wants answers, but there's been no one to ask."

"We didn't have anything to do with that stupid curse being unleashed!" Emma glared at her.

"I know that, I assure you." The girl reached out and placed a hand on Emma's arm. She gazed down at Snow, a wistful smile on her face. "Dear, dear Snow. How I've missed you." To Emma's surprise, tears began to stream down the girl's face as she began to plead with Emma. "Please, tell me, who else survived? Are James and Red all right? Granny?"

"Yes, all three of them are fine." Emma stared at her. "Who are you? How do you know Mary-Mar-Snow? And the others?"

"My name is Azure. Snow and James were…are…like family to me." Azure fixed her dark blue eyes on Emma, staring at her so intently that Emma began to feel uncomfortable. "You must be Emma. You must be the Savior."

"Oh, God, please don't call me that." Emma rolled her eyes. "I'm just Emma."

"I'm pleased to finally meet you, Emma." Azure took Emma's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Had time passed in the normal fashion, I'd look my 42 years and be more of the adoring aunt type, but I've been perpetually 15 years old for the last 28. Just consider me a younger cousin."

She nudged the plate toward Emma. "Eat. You'll need to keep up your strength. It's all right, I'm not a talented cook, but I can bake corn cakes without needing magic to revive someone." She smiled as she let go of Emma's hand and reached for Snow's, the one that Emma wasn't clutching protectively. "I'd like to stay in case she wakes up, if you don't mind. It's been so long."

Emma reluctantly released her hold on Snow, reached out tentatively, picked up a corn cake, and took a small bite. The cake was dry, but edible, so she allowed her hunger to take over and quickly devoured several without speaking. The tin cup was filled with cool, clean, fresh-tasting water and she gulped it down, not taking her eyes off of Azure, just in case. The same old Emma, suspicious as hell of anyone and everyone. She wasn't sure that would ever change, even if she could call herself Princess Emma now. She nearly laughed out loud at the image of herself in an over-the-top pink ball gown with a tiara perched atop her messy blond hair. If she ever got the chance to attend a royal ball, she'd have to hire a hairdresser. She gave a short bark of laughter at the thought.

Azure smiled. "You look like James when you laugh. The corners of your eyes crinkle up just like his."

Emma could wait no more. "Who are you, exactly? Are we related? Or are you some evil witch disguised as a kid who's going to turn into a hag and try to poison me with an apple?" She glanced down at the plate. "Or corn."

"Well, there's no need to ask about Regina then." Azure laughed. "It sounds like she's still very much alive. What a disappointment. And to answer your questions, no, we are not related. Not by blood, at least. And again, no. I am as you see me, I have no magic, and I would never do anything to hurt you."

"So who are you?" Emma found herself even more interested in spite of herself. Curiouser and curiouser. "Is the rest of your family here or did the curse send them to Storybrooke – the town where everyone from the Enchanted Forest was sent – with Snow and James?"

"I have no family here."

A non-answer, Emma noted. Before she could press Azure for more information, Snow stirred and moaned a little. Emma shoved the plate aside and slid closer to her. "Mary-Margaret? Mary-Margaret, it's me, it's Emma. Talk to me."

Snow's eyes fluttered open and for a moment, she seemed as if she had no idea who she was or who Emma was. Then recognition lit her eyes. "Emma. You're still here."

"Hey, I'm not going anywhere without you. I promise." She brushed a few stray wisps of bangs from Snow's forehead. "Are you all right? How do you feel?"

"My head is still a bit sore, but I'll be all right." Snow didn't notice Azure, who fetched the second cup of water from the table and handed it to Emma. "When will we be released?"

"I don't know." Emma answered, honestly. She held the tin cup to Snow's lips. "Here, drink this. It's water. You'll feel better." She helped Snow lift her head enough to take several sips and was relieved to see some color flow back into Snow's pale face almost immediately. Snow lifted herself on her elbows and struggled to sit upright. Emma helped pull her into a sitting position, and Snow leaned lightly on her daughter.

Suddenly, Snow gasped as she saw Azure standing a few feet away and her eyes grew wide. She gripped Emma's arm in a panic. "You see her, right? That girl? She's standing there for real?"

"Yes, she's real." Emma nodded in confusion. "You know her?"

Snow didn't answer her, she just stared for another few seconds and whispered, "Bless the heavens, you're alive. Azure." She held out her arms, and Azure didn't hesitate before sinking to the floor and falling into them. Snow hugged Azure tightly, tears in her eyes, but Emma was stunned into silence by Azure's emotional reaction. Azure buried her head in Snow's shoulder and cried as if her heart had been broken in two, her body shaking with each muffled sob.

"Oh, Azure, darling, it's all right." Snow rocked Azure gently in her arms. "I have so much to tell you, but it's all right. She's alive and she will be overjoyed to know that you've survived. She was devastated when we all regained our memories and she couldn't find you. She hid it well from the others, but I knew."

At Snow's words, Azure pulled away, a sudden, sharp anger in her eyes as she shook her head vehemently. "No. I don't care about her. She gave up on me long before the curse took effect. I'm just glad to see you and to know that James and the others are all right." She clutched Snow's arm. "Grumpy? And the other dwarfs? Nova?"

"Nova and the dwarves all survived. And Grumpy is as grumpy as he ever was." Snow grinned through her tears. "I promise to tell you about everyone. But Azure, you have to forgive her. You have to let go of your anger towards her. She did what she had to do to give you – "

"My best chance." Azure finished the sentence bitterly. "Just as you did for Emma. The difference between you and my mother, Snow, is that when you gave up Emma, you did it to save her and to save our world, and she gave up ON me. The curse only gave her a reason to abandon me for real. She abandoned me for your daughter – " Azure gave Emma an apologetic shrug. "You were her excuse, Emma, and I am not placing any of the blame on you, or anyone else. All of it – every single bit – falls squarely on her shoulders."

"Oh, Azure, you've got it all wrong." Snow protested, cupping Azure's face in her hands. "It broke her heart to have to send you away. She had to do it, for your safety."

"She didn't do it because I was in danger, she was _embarrassed_ that I existed at all, Snow!"

Emma had been watching the back and forth between Snow and Azure and could no longer stand it. "Stop!" She yelled. Both Snow and Azure stared at her in surprise. "Remember that I'm from the outside world. Not the Enchanted Forest or Storybrooke or this desert. I'm still learning everyone's backstory, and although I'm sure it was an oversight, I don't remember seeing Azure in Henry's book."

"I'm sorry, Emma." Snow laid the back of her hand on Emma's cheek, which felt oddly familiar and comforting to both of them. Emma had to resist the urge to reach up and keep her mother's hand on her face. "I have to remind myself that there's so much that I still have to tell you. Azure's mother was – is – a dear friend of mine from the Enchanted Forest. When Azure was born, her mother named me her godmother."

Emma couldn't resist smiling. "Like a fairy godmother?" She joked.

"Snow is worth more than a hundred fairy godmothers." The words that Azure spoke were filled with contempt and mockery and…loathing? "You know, it's been so long since I've played one of Rumplestiltskin's silly games. I don't even have to ask what he's been up to since the answer will always be 'no good'. But in his honor, if you guess who my mother is, I'll have you out of this place tonight." She leaned in closer to them, her next words an exact reproduction of Rumplestiltskin's sing-song speech. "And I'll tell you a secret, dearies – I was already planning on freeing you, so you can guess without fear of retribution. One hint. My name."

Emma tilted her head as she scrutinized Azure. "Your name? I don't remember anyone in Storybrooke with a name similar to Azure." She paused. "Wait. Azure means blue. The Mother Superior. The Blue Fairy? The Blue Fairy is your mother?"

Azure nodded, unfazed by Emma's bewildered expression. "Yes. Blue gave birth to me. But she also gave up the right to be my mother before any of us were affected by the curse. However, family doesn't have to be related by blood and I still lost my family when Regina cast the curse on the Enchanted Forest." She held Snow's hands in hers, ignoring Snow's pained wince at her words. "You may not have known it until now, but you've been a part of my family for many years, Emma."

Snow let go of one of Azure's hands to reach out for Emma's. "And the Azure that I know will be joyously welcomed by her family – her mother - in Storybrooke when we find a way back. And we WILL find a way back. Magic or no magic."

The words were spoken so softly that Emma wasn't sure she'd truly heard them; however, Azure's brief smile confirmed what she'd heard. A whisper, lighter than fairy dust carried on the wind:

"Don't worry, Snow. There is magic."


	3. Chapter 2

_Chapter 2_

_Present-Day Storybrooke_

Blue sighed as she opened the door to her cell in the convent, dreading another evening of solitude and loneliness. Another night alone was better than the alternative, though. Better than being in town where everywhere she turned, she was confronted by happy families, reunited after the curse's destruction. She was glad for them, of course, especially for Snow and James and Emma, who had lost more than anyone through their sacrifices, but it took all she had to make it through the days at school. She couldn't bear the thought of subjecting herself to the same pain at night.

Her gaze fell upon the suitcase in the corner, the suitcase that she'd hastily packed to cross the border out of Storybrooke. A wave of shame and hurt engulfed her as she remembered how quickly she'd made the decision to leave her memories as Blue behind again, become the Mother Superior again, start a new life with new memories. Try to forget what she'd lost.

Suddenly, her calm façade disappeared, and her anger and grief gripped her heart in a vice. She grabbed the suitcase, hurled it onto the bed, took out articles of clothing, one by one. Her need to release her anger took over, and she grabbed each item by the seams, ripping them into pieces. In only five minutes, her room was littered with the ruined remains of her wardrobe. Holding a piece of a sweater to her face, she sank onto the bed and began to cry, unable to control the gulping sobs, loud and guttural. After ten minutes, she began to gain control of herself, a wave of exhaustion overtook her, and she lay down on the bed, staring at the wall.

As soon as the curse had been lifted, Blue had searched for her without ceasing, desperate to see Azure appear from around a corner, from a shop, anywhere, Blue didn't care as long as she was there. But after several days of trying to find her daughter, she'd been forced to accept that Azure hadn't come through with everyone else after Regina's curse. That she quite possibly had condemned her child to a life of unknown terrors and challenges as a refugee or a life spent wandering a deserted Enchanted Forest. Or she'd condemned Azure to no life at all.

The guilt enveloped her like a black fog, pressing in on her lungs, causing her to struggle for air. The idea that Azure was dead was more than she could handle. It would be as if Blue had physically put her own child to death, had held her head under water until there was no more movement as the life slipped away from Azure's body.

"Please forgive me, Azure." Blue cried into the empty room. "Please, my girl, forgive me. I've failed you and I am so, so sorry."

Whispering "I'm sorry" over and over into her pillow, Blue dropped off into a fitful sleep.

_The Enchanted Forest, Fairies' Glen – One Week Before Snow and James' Wedding_

"I HATE YOU!"

Blue glanced up with a sigh as her daughter came storming into the room, her face bright with anger. "I'm sorry, Azure, I've made my decision."

"YOU decided, not me. And you decided that I need to be sent away right before Snow and James' wedding! I should have known you'd do something like this." Azure glared at her mother, so angry that Blue swore she could see a dark cloud forming above her. "You know how long I've been waiting to go to this wedding, you know how excited I've been about it, yet you still _decided._ What is the reason this time? Rampant goblin chasing girls across the Light Forest? Bumblebee sighting in Violet Springs?"

"You know why." Blue set aside her book of spells, struggling to remain calm and objective. "There is danger coming, and I must protect you. The timing is unfortunate, and I do wish you could attend the wedding, but you must leave tomorrow for Phillip's kingdom. He is sending four of his knights to escort you on the journey, and will hide you until the threat has passed."

Azure seethed with nearly-audible rage and Blue braced herself for a furious verbal onslaught. She wasn't sure that Azure would ever forgive her for this. In fact, Blue wasn't sure she could forgive herself. She had very nearly chosen to allow Azure to attend the wedding, knowing how much it meant to her, but the risk was simply too great.

"All my life, you have sent me away at your whim, from hiding place to hiding place. I've spent months in hiding, wondering if I'd ever see you again." Azure said, her voice low and controlled. "I've wondered if you truly missed me in my absence or if you counted down the days to my return. I wondered if you wished on the first star like you taught me when I was little. Do you remember that?"

Blue nodded. "I've never missed a wish."

Azure ignored her. "You said that the first star was sprinkled with fairy dust every night, and that made our wishes magic. Then one night, I looked at the sky and I couldn't tell which star was the first star, and that must be why my wish never came true. It was always the same wish. I wished that you'd never send me away again." Azure twisted her hands, her head down. "That's when I stopped believing in fairy magic. I stopped believing in you."

Wind began rushing through Blue's ears and she felt as though she might pass out. No matter how upset Azure had been when she'd been sent into hiding, no matter how much she fought and clawed against it, they'd never parted without promising to send their wishes to the first star. Blue was being truthful when she'd said she never missed a night. It was the one thing she'd never had to lie to her daughter about. Finally, Azure's words managed to break something inside of her.

She'd never show it, though.

"That has no bearing on the matter at hand. Snow and James will understand your absence. I expect you to be a model guest in Prince Phillip's castle, and as soon as the danger has passed, I will bring you home. I promise." The flat calm in her voice remained constant. "I know you're angry at me, and I had another way to protect you, I would."

"You're a fairy. You have magic. If you can grant the stupid wishes of half of the inhabitants of the Enchanted Forest with some dust and a stick, how come you can't magic away this danger that you swear exists for your own daughter?" Azure said, quietly. "Are the wishes of strangers more important to you than your love for me?"

Blue shook her head, reaching for Azure's hand. Azure pulled it away. "There is nothing in the world that I would not do for you. But this danger is beyond my magic. There is no spell I could cast that would protect you against it. My love for you is a better weapon than magic."

"Just tell me what this threat is!" Azure pleaded, falling to her knees in front of her mother and grabbing her hands. "We can defeat it together, Mother! The two of us, as long as we have each other! If love is the best weapon, then we'll be stronger together! Please, Mother!"

Blue cupped Azure's face in her hands, leaned forward and kissed her gently on the forehead. "I love you so much, my beloved. One day, you will do great things. Tomorrow, however, you must leave for Phillip's kingdom."

Azure reeled away from her, her eyes turning to liquid venom. "I swear upon my life, if you force me to go, I will never forgive you. I will forget that I ever had a mother, you will no longer have a daughter." The words spewed forth, hitting Blue with the intensity of a curse. "We will no longer exist to one another."

She turned on her heel and practically ran out of the room. Blue watched her go in disbelief, unable to move. Her daughter's words were not empty threats, she felt this in her very soul. There was something darker and more sinister about them, something that would pass beyond the boundaries of Fairy Glen, across every forest, every village, every kingdom. It could not be changed and it could not be stopped. It would rip love from everything in its path.

It would take her daughter from her.

_Present-Day Storybrooke_

Blue awoke in a cold sweat, unable to stop the raw scream coming from her throat. She didn't hear Nova run into her room.

"Blue!" Nova grabbed her shoulders and tried to shake her out of her trance-like state. "Blue, wake up! It's all right!"

Blue's screams stopped abruptly, and she clutched at Nova, her face a mask of pure fear. "Azure! I remembered what she said before I had to send her away for the last time!"

Nova gazed at her sympathetically. "She has to be in our land still. She was within the protection area, if she didn't come through to Stoneybrooke, she must still be alive. We'll find her."

"No, that's not it!" Blue gasped, hearing Azure's words in her head again. "The curse. Regina's curse! Azure told me that if I sent her away again, we'd no longer exist to each other. Did she know? Did she know what Regina was planning?"

"She couldn't have." Nova shook her head. "They were words spoken by an emotional teenager arguing with her mother, just like every teenaged girl has done in every world that has ever existed."

"What if she helped Regina somehow?" Blue was frantic now. "What if she gave Regina some piece of information, some last bit that gave Regina enough power to cast the spell?"

"Listen to yourself!" Nova said in disbelief. "Are you really accusing your own child of such evil? How could you even think that about Azure?"

"When she was born, Esme came to me and told me that Azure and I would cause each other unimaginable pain. I thought that not finding her here in Stoneybrooke was the worst pain I'd ever felt." Silent tears fell from her eyes. "What if _this _was actually what she meant? Her father – " Blue froze. "Esme knew who he was. She knew the evil that he was capable of inflicting. I was convinced that my love would be enough and Azure would never be anything like him. I'd keep any potential of evil from penetrating her soul."

Nova wasn't sure if she should call Dr. Whale or Archie…Jiminy. Something was very, very wrong with her friend. The Blue Fairy she knew would never accuse her cherished daughter of such a heinous act. Nor could Nova believe that Azure would ever help Regina cast a curse that would bring such devastation to the people she loved. Blue just needed her rest, Nova decided. Rest and maybe some fun to take her mind off of her sadness. Nova would take care of the fun part. Tomorrow.

She helped Blue back to bed, chattering about playing hooky from school and taking Blue to play miniature golf the next day. She wasn't sure that Blue heard a word she said, but at least she'd relaxed. As she said goodnight and turned to go, she heard "Nova?"

"Yes, Blue?" Nova smiled at her.

"What if I'm right about Azure? What if my child became an enemy of love right under my nose and I was too blinded by my own love for her to realize it?"

Overwhelmed by the sickening thought, Blue closed her eyes. That night, though, sleep was her enemy.


	4. Chapter 3

_The Enchanted Forest – Present Day_

A twig snapped, and Azure whirled around, reaching for the dagger tucked into her boot. She relaxed, rolling her eyes. "For the gods' mercies, Aurora, you are going to get us all killed."

"I'm sorry. I've been lying in a glass coffin for years, there were no twigs to break." Aurora glared at her.

"Stop the bickering, you two." Snow called back, quietly. "You argue just like sisters."

"Close enough." Aurora replied, and Azure let out a giggle. "We've spent enough time together over the years. At least, when the years actually moved. She spent enough time in my kingdom growing up, following me around to the point that I asked my mother to lock her in the tower a few times."

"You only asked her because you got caught locking me there yourself when I was eight." Azure grinned. "It's lucky for you that I had no magic or I would have conjured frogs into your breakfast porridge. My mother even caught me looking in a spell book when I got home after that visit, trying to find something mean to spell you with the next time I saw you."

They approached a small clearing, slightly overhung with a light veil of branches from the trees. Snow looked around briefly, and turned to the group. "Shall we stay here tonight? The light is growing dimmer, and I think it's best if we continue our travels tomorrow."

Murmuring their assent, they set their belongings down. Azure began gathering wood for a fire, while Snow began a slow walk around the clearing, taking in every leaf, every tree, every small blade of grass as if setting a protection boundary around it.

"I'm going to see if I can capture something for our supper." Mulan made her way through the brush quietly.

"There's nothing left." Aurora watched Mulan go. "She knows that she won't find anything in the hunt, but she won't give up."

"She's coping." Emma replied, gently. "We all cope in different ways. Even warriors."

"You have the same warrior spirit as Mulan." Aurora tilted her head at Emma.

"Self-preservation. Not a warrior." Emma shook her head quickly. "Then again, maybe it's the same thing."

Within an hour, the darkness had settled over the forest, Azure had gotten a fire burning, and the four had eaten the meager ration of berries that Mulan had found. It wasn't enough to fill their stomachs, but it was enough to stave off the weakness from hunger that had threatened them throughout the journey. Snow offered to take the first lookout shift, so the other five settled into their pallets near the fire. Emma and Mulan dropped off quickly, and Aurora fell into a fitful sleep, but Azure stared into the fire for an hour before getting up quietly and joining Snow.

"Can't sleep?" Snow moved over on the stump to make room for Azure, who sat down next to her.

"I keep thinking about her." Azure refused to look at Snow. "I don't want to think about her. But the thoughts won't go away, no matter how much I try to force them down."

"Because she's your mother." Snow put an arm around Azure, who leaned into her shoulder. "Because you've had years and years away from her, and no child should be separated from their mother for that long. Because no matter what, you still love her, just as she loves you."

"When she sent away before your wedding for the last time, I said so many terrible things to her. I wanted to hurt her. I thought she'd change her mind, and when she didn't, I told her that we'd no longer exist to each other." Azure hung her head in shame. "So when she sent for me at Prince Phillip's castle the next month, I was still angry at her, and I wanted those words to be true."

"So you ran from your protectors." Snow nodded. "She knew. Did you know that she'd cast a protection spell on you before she sent you to Phillip's? And although you hid everywhere in the forest, running from shelter to shelter, every fairy, magical creature, and royal army watched out for you?"

Azure glanced up at her in surprise. "She knew I was going to run away? She did all of that?"

"She had an idea." Snow smiled. "Remember, you were the first non-fairy child born to a fairy mother. She always had to try to stay one step ahead of you because she had no idea what to expect. So if she seemed overly protective, she had good reason."

"And I spent that last year before Regina enacted the curse running from her, while she was trying to help save the Enchanted Forest."

"I was one of her spies." Snow grinned, teasingly. "When you came to visit me and James those few times, I'd send a messenger to her immediately. You never saw her, but she came to the castle and was able to strengthen the protection spell around you. She never gave up hope that you'd come back to her, but she was willing to wait because she could still protect you."

"There's something that I don't understand, though." Azure twisted her hands in her lap. "She began to send me into hiding years before the threat of Regina's curse. What was she protecting me from? No matter how many times I asked her, she would only tell me that the danger was coming. When I was little, that was enough for me to obey her without question. But then as I got older, her answer wasn't good enough for me. I still don't know what the danger was. She expected me to do as I was told with the same explanation – the danger. But I needed more than that." Azure turned to Snow, pleadingly. "Please, Snow. If you know, if you have any idea, _what_ was the danger? _Who_ was the danger?"

"I wish I could tell you, Azure." Snow hugged her, helplessly. "I honestly don't know. It was the one thing that she would never talk about, she would never explain the danger. She said that Esme was the only person who'd known about it, and Esme had taken it to her grave."

"Esme." Azure glared at the ground. "I was only eight when she died, but I remember how she treated me. She hated me for what I was, for being half-fairy, and my half-fairy side had none of the gifts of the fairies. Why would Mother tell Esme about the danger and not you? She never trusted Esme."

"Your mother never told Esme. Esme discovered the truth on her own when your mother became pregnant with you, although your mother was sure that she'd been told by the only other person who knew – your father." Snow realized that she was getting into threatening territory. "She always suspected that Esme had something to do with the danger."

"Do you know who my father was? My father is?" Azure asked, her head spinning. "I know that he had something to do with the danger, which is why my mother wouldn't tell me who he was."

"Blue never told us the name of your father." Snow told her. "But yes, he and the danger were intertwined. From your mother's story, I never quite understood if your father caused the danger or if the danger followed him. All I remember is that she swore that he would never find you, that she would keep the danger from you by keeping him from you. "

Azure was silent for several minutes, taking in all that Snow had shared with her. Her breathing became so even and deep that Snow wondered if she'd fallen asleep, until Azure spoke again quietly. "I was wrong. I spent so much time being angry with her for wanting to protect me and I hurt her so much."

"Azure, what happened in the past is where it belongs to stay. In the past. When we are able to return to Storybrooke, she won't care about any of that. All she'll care about is that you've come back to her. I promise." Snow paused. "Azure, I need to ask you something." Azure nodded. "How did you and the others end up in that…place? Why weren't all of you taken to Storybrooke with the rest of us?"

Azure's demeanor changed, and she looked away from Snow as she spoke. "I don't know the exact reason. All I remember is that I'd gone to Phillip's castle because I'd heard of Aurora's affliction. It was the last time I saw my mother, and I wouldn't even speak to her, but she begged me to secure a horse and go to the water at the edge of the Enchanted Forest. She said that I would be safe from Regina's curse there, and as soon as she was able, she'd come to get me. I don't know why I chose that one time to heed her instructions, but I did. And when I arrived, it seemed as if there were preparations being made. Magical preparations, with more fairies that I'd ever known in my lifetime making them. I only recognized a few. Not long after I set foot on the land on the water with many other refugees, I looked out over the Enchanted Forest and suddenly, I saw it."

"Saw what?" Snow asked, anxiously. "What did you see?"

"It started so far in the distance that I thought I was imagining it, but the longer I stared, the more I realized that there was something happening. The center of the forest was spinning, like a cyclone, and all of a sudden, it turned black and began to disappear, just as if something had dragged the forest into the black and was swallowing it whole. Everyone around me began to panic, but we could do nothing, just wait for the blackness to engulf us." Azure took a deep breath. "Then I saw the fairy dust fall over the land on the water. It fell so thick that it felt as if we might choke on it. I didn't see who covered the land with the fairy dust. All I know is that it went on for at least an hour, and when it began to grow thinner, we saw that the blackness was gone. And so was any life in the Enchanted Forest."

Snow embraced Azure as tears began to fall from her eyes. "You were in a protection area."

Azure nodded, struggling to speak. "None of us knew why we were chosen to go to the protection area. I thought she'd sent me there because she'd be there. But the days passed, and she never came. No one did. And we all thought that Regina's curse had killed everyone else and we were the only ones left in the realm."

"And now you know that it's not true." Snow smiled, tearfully.

Azure suddenly stood. "I'm sorry. There's just so much to take in. And I need some privacy –" She gestured towards some nearby bushes. "Thank you, Snow."

"Be careful and return quickly." Snow called after her quietly. Azure nodded with her back to Snow.

Azure made her way several hundred yards from the camp when an arm reached from behind a tree and grabbed her, clamping a hand over her mouth. She struggled against the restraint, only relaxing when she heard "It's me, Cora.". As soon as she'd stopped struggling, Cora let go over her, and Azure turned to face her.

"Why are you here? It's dangerous!" Azure whispered, angrily. "What if they see you?"

"I won't be here long enough." Cora smiled, deviously.

"I can't do this, Cora. We need to find a way for Snow and Emma to go to the other realm with us. I won't be your spy any longer, and I won't leave them behind." Azure was firm. "I no longer want or need revenge on my mother. I just want to be with her. Perhaps Regina feels the same about you."

"Oh, darling girl, you say this as if you have a choice." Cora laughed. "While you've been tagging along after the merry band of misfits, I've discovered how to get one of us to the other realm. And since I'm not entirely comfortable with being the first to try out the process, you'll be the one to test my theory." She pulled a small bag of fairy dust from her satchel. "All this time, you held onto this fairy dust when you could have given it to Snow White to go through the wardrobe. Did you tell her that? Did you tell her that you've been holding back on her?"

"You wouldn't dare tell her." Azure hissed angrily. "I wasn't intentionally keeping it from anyone, I wanted to find a way for all of us to return without having to choose."

"And now you don't have to." Cora's smile twisted into an evil grimace. "I know which curse my daughter used on the Enchanted Forest, and between my magic and this fairy dust, I believe I know where the inhabitants have gone." She reached into the bag and took out a small handful of the fairy dust. "Don't be afraid. I've added an enchantment to the spell – if it works, the enchantment will create a portal somewhere in the forest – and all I have to do is find it. It will remain open for only two days, so I'll have to make sure that I find it before they do. Once that portal has closed, that will destroy any chance for return by anyone here. I will do what I have to do to ensure that I find it before they do."

"No!" Azure screamed, as Cora threw the fairy dust over her with one hand and unleashed a torrent of magic from the other. She felt the air around her go black, start to spin, and she struggled to claw her way out of the darkness, without success. Within a few seconds, she felt her body slam into something solid and hit the ground. She moaned, rolling to her side, a pain shooting through her head. Finally, she managed to sit up without feeling as if she needed to vomit and slowly, gingerly, she opened her eyes.

What she saw was not the Enchanted Forest. It wasn't the land on the water. It wasn't like anything she'd ever seen before. She was in a small alley, looking out onto what appeared to be a town, people walking back and forth in clothing that was foreign and strange. But she knew.

"I'm in Storybrooke." She whispered. "The spell worked. It really worked."

Pulling herself to her feet unsteadily, her head still pounding from hitting it on the ground after her journey from the other realm, she began to scan the people walking by, looking for a familiar face. She didn't want to just walk out into the street, knowing that her long dress would immediately draw attention to her. So she waited. She'd waited over 28 years, another few minutes couldn't hurt.


	5. Chapter 4

_**I really hope you're enjoying this – I know the updates have been slow, but real life has interfered. I really need to get this story out, though, so I'm writing with every spare moment. I'm open to all reviews, constructive criticism, or you're welcome just to yell at me to hurry up with the next chapter **__**. **_

_Present-Day Storybrooke_

Azure leaned her aching head against the wall of the alley, closing her eyes. She must have hit the ground harder than she thought when she came through the portal that Cora had created. Her head was pounding, and her stomach rolled with waves of nausea, although that could have been a result of the fact that her mother was somewhere in this town. For all she knew, Blue could be around the corner or across the street.

Azure wondered what would happen if she walked to the middle of the road, stood there, and yelled "Mother!" Would Blue recognize her voice after all of these years? Would she recognize Azure? Would she recognize her mother? Snow had looked so different, her hair shorn close to her head, but there had been no question that it had been Snow. What would Blue look like now?

She had to do something, had to at least find someone in the town who might be able to help her find someone she knew. She was feeling more and more sick as every second ticked by, and didn't want to be discovered passed out by some random passer-by.

Pushing herself away from the wall, she made her way to the end of the alley. Luckily, the street was fairly deserted aside from a few people across the street. Looking around the corner, she saw a large sign hanging over a door that read "Mr. Gold Pawnbroker". She didn't know what a pawnbroker was, but her stomach continued to roll and the pain in her head began to blur her vision, so a pawnbroker it was. Reaching for the door, she pushed it open and practically fell inside.

"Hello?" Azure called weakly, barely even focusing on the contents of the shop, as she grabbed a counter and struggled to stay upright. "Hello, is anyone here? I need help, please!"

A young woman with red-gold curls pinned up on her head emerged from a back room and saw Azure's pale face. She ran to Azure quickly, grabbing her before she collapsed. "Where did you come from? What happened? You're bleeding!"

Azure reached up to feel the back of her head, drawing her hand away to discover that it was stained with sticky, dark-red blood. "No wonder I've got such a pain in my head." She murmured, sinking to the floor with the woman's support. "I must have hit it harder than I thought when I came through the portal. You'd think the spell would have an enchantment to prevent that."

She didn't see the surprised look on the young woman's face. She was too busy passing out to notice.

Belle quickly shed the light jacket that she was wearing, balling it up and placing it gently under the girl's head, careful to keep her head from rolling to either side. She then got up and hurried to the phone in the back room, but realized she had no idea who to call. Granny. Granny would know what to do. She quickly punched in the number for Granny's Diner.

Ruby answered with a chipper "Granny's Diner!"

"Ruby? It's Belle. I'm at Mr. Gold's and I have a girl here who must have hit her head somewhere. I don't know who she is, and I'm the only one here." Belle rushed through the words. "I need help. Is Granny there? Can she come?"

"She left an hour ago." Ruby told her. Belle groaned. "But I'll come. No one's here, I'll just shut down and be there in two minutes. Is she alive?"

"She was able to come inside, and then she lost consciousness." Belle didn't want to get into what the girl had said right before she passed out. "Please, Ruby, get here quickly."

She replaced the receiver and went back to the girl, who was moaning softly. Belle was relieved to see that there wasn't much blood on the jacket – the flow seemed to have slowed to a very slight trickle. She glanced at the girl's clothes and realized that she was wearing a dress that looked very out-of-place for Storybrooke…in fact, it seemed much more suited for the Enchanted Forest. And what she'd said about a portal…Belle pushed the thought out of her head.

The front door jingled once again and Ruby ran in, breathless. "Where is she? My car's out front if we need to take her to the hos-" She froze as she saw the girl laying on the floor with Belle. "Oh, my God." She whispered, utter shock appearing on her face. "How the hell did she get here?"

"You know her?"

"We all thought she was dead. When the curse was broken and she wasn't here…we thought she must have died with the curse." Ruby was still gazing at the girl in amazement. "I don't know how she could have survived."

"Before she lost consciousness, she said something about hitting her head because…because she came through a portal." Belle said. "Something else about a spell…"

"Holy crap." Ruby breathed, and Belle had a sudden sense of wanting to laugh because obviously, Ruby hadn't lost the vocabulary that she'd gained during their time in Storybrooke. "She found a way through. She might know where Snow and Emma are. She might know how to get us home."

Azure stirred, whimpering as she opened her eyes, attempting to focus on the two women hovering over her protectively. As she began to see their faces, a sudden joy appeared in her eyes. "Red?"

"Azure?" Red smiled, her own eyes reflecting the same joy. "Azure, you're alive!"

"So are you!" Azure grinned back at her, laughing, and pulling herself into a sitting position to grab her old friend in a tight hug. "It's been so long. I never thought I'd see any of you again!"

"Where have you been all this time? How did you get here? Oh, Azure, your mother is going to be overjoyed to know that you're alive. That you're here." Red embraced her until Azure winced, her hand going to her head. "Oh, crap, sorry. We need to make sure you're okay. How did you hurt your head?"

"The portal that I came through dumped me on a very hard ground and I must have hit my head. And yes, I will explain all about the portal, but know that I have seen Snow and met Emma, and they are okay. I don't know how we'll get them here, but there has to be a way." Azure touched the back of her head gingerly. "I believe I'm all right. The bleeding has stopped and I really just want to wash the blood out of my hair."

"My name is Belle. And I think we should have a doctor at the hospital look at you to be safe." Belle suggested, softly. "You may have a concussion."

"I've dealt with injuries far worse than this." Azure smiled appreciatively at Belle's concern. "I always wanted to fly because my mother could fly. So when I was four and discovered that I was never going to grow wings like hers, I climbed to the top of the cottage where we lived, and jumped, thinking my fairy side would magically make me fly."

"And did it?" Belle asked, teasingly.

"I became airborne, but then thudded to the ground like a stone. I suffered a broken leg and a dislocated shoulder." Azure smiled, wistfully. "That was when I was little enough that my mother could heal my broken limbs with her wand and some fairy dust, and soothe my hurt ego with a hug and a kiss, while telling me that she was glad that I couldn't fly because she loved me so much that she never wanted me to be able to fly away from her."

"Are you ready to see her?" Red asked, gently, squeezing Azure's hand in hers. "She's not far from here."

"May I clean up first?" Azure looked at Belle. "My hair…my dress." She motioned down at the dress, which had a few spots of blood on it. "I don't want to go to her like this."

"Of course." Belle nodded. "There's a bathroom in the back where we can clean the blood from your hair, and I'll give you some of my clothes to wear. They may be slightly large, but they're clean."

She and Red helped Azure to her feet, but before Belle could lead Azure into the back area, Azure turned to Red and threw her arms around her neck. "Please don't tell anyone I'm here yet. I want to see her first. But I'm so glad…so relieved…" Her voice broke and she couldn't continue.

"I know." Red whispered. "Everything will be all right. You'll see."

With that, Azure turned and followed Belle into the back room.

_The Enchanted Forest - Present Day_

They heard Azure's screams in the camp, and all four ran towards them.

"Azure!" Snow called, frantically, as the screams stopped as quickly as they'd begun. "Azure, are you okay?"

There was no answer. Just silence.

"Do you think the wraith got her?" Aurora looked towards the sky, terrified.

"We'd have heard a wraith." Snow shook her head. "She wasn't far from camp. Spread out and let's look around."

For several minutes, they inspected the area, finding nothing. Finally, Mulan called "Here! I think I found something!"

They rushed to the spot where she was pointing. Snow knelt on the ground, where a dark circle lay freshly made in the earth. A slight glint of something caught her eye, and she looked at it more closely. "Fairy dust." She whispered, glancing up at the others. "This dark area…I think it's a portal and I think it was created using fairy dust."

"She was screaming." Emma said in confusion. "Those screams were terrified screams. Could she have created a portal by accident?"

"No." Snow shook her head. "Fairy dust is only one part of magic. Only someone who possesses the power of magic can combine the two to create a portal like this. Azure had no magical abilities. Someone must have created the portal and forced her through."

"Cora." Emma voiced the name that they were all thinking.

"Now we know that Cora has the ability to create portals." Snow sighed. "I pray that this one took Azure to Storybrooke safely. And if Cora is anything like Regina, she's still here because this portal was just a test to ensure that it was viable. Which means we have to find Cora even more quickly because she could be our only way home." Snow picked up a handful of dirt, letting it fall through her fingers. "Oh, Azure. Please be safe."

_Present-Day Storybrooke_

"There. You look lovely." Belle straightened the blue peasant-blouse that she'd given Azure to wear and gave her an approving glance. Azure also had on a pair of jeans, and while they were admittedly the most comfortable clothes she'd ever worn, she felt odd wearing pants, so used to her long dresses. With a pair of sneakers on her feet, she could have passed for any other teenager in town, even with her waist-length reddish-brown curls hanging down her back.

She'd been right, the head injury had been minor, and several pills that Belle had called 'ibuprofen' had helped to dull the pain quickly. It hadn't been able to dull the uneasiness that continued to wash over her, though. It had been so long and she had so many fears about seeing her mother for the first time in 28 years.

Belle seemed to sense her hesitation and realized that Azure would need a push. "If you're ready, I'll take you to your mother. Unless, of course, you'd prefer to have someone more familiar take you…I can call Ruby or perhaps there's someone else you'd like me to call."

"No." Azure clutched at Belle's arm. "Please. I know we've never met before today, but you've already been such a comfort and help to me. Would you go with me?"

"Of course." Belle nodded, understanding that it might be easier for Azure to see her mother again with someone who wasn't aware of what had happened in their past. "Of course I will. Let's go find your mother."

As they prepared to leave the store, the door opened again and Rumplestiltskin walked in. He stopped in bemusement as he saw Belle standing with Azure. "Well, well, well. I certainly wasn't expecting to see you in my shop today." As Belle stared at him, confused, and Azure shot Rumple a glare that could have born a hole into his skull, he chuckled. "Welcome to Storybrooke, Azure."


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

_Present-Day Storybrooke_

What a day. Blue felt as if it would never end. She'd never enjoyed parent-teacher conference days, but today's had been especially trying, as many of the children were still coming to terms with the fact that they were part of a fairy tale, as were their parents, and some had even learned that their parents in Storybrooke were different from their parents in the Enchanted Forest.

The school had subscriptions to numerous educational magazines, chock-full of articles on the best new teaching techniques or how to keep students entertained, but not one of them contained any helpful information about explaining that the mayor was an evil queen and the nuns who taught the kids were actually fairies. Not to mention, every girl between the ages of ten and sixteen had a massive crush on James, now that they knew he was royalty. Every morning when he dropped Henry off, the school practically shook with lovesick sighs.

The conferences had kept her late to finish paperwork. Since Snow had disappeared with Emma, Blue had taken over teaching her class. Ten-year-olds were rambunctious enough for anyone who walked by their classroom, but teaching them full-time was a completely different story. It was exhausting, and Blue had a new respect for Mary-Margaret – Snow – having the patience to do it for so long.

She smiled as she remembered how mischievous Azure had been at that age. She hadn't been able to send Azure for any formal schooling, but growing up in Fairy Glen, many of the other fairies doted on the child and gave her an education worthy of royalty. Their patience served them well when their pupil ran and hid to get out of lessons, or pretended to be ill. Blue stifled a laugh as she remembered one of Azure's better practical jokes on Nova.

Nova and Azure were especially close, although Azure delighted in playing pranks on her mercilessly. Somehow, Azure convinced Carys, a fairy godmother who'd been there since she was born, to enchant her with a spell that turned her skin green temporarily. When it came time for her arithmetic lesson with Nova, she went outside, lay in the grass, and waited. Nova, of course, dear, sweet, naïve Nova, frantically searched for Azure everywhere, only finding her when she tripped on her, as Azure had blended into the grass so well.

Of course, finding that her pupil had suddenly become a vivid grass-green color sent Nova into even more of a tizzy. It took Azure the better part of a day to convince her that the green was temporary and would wear off at sundown, and even after she'd returned to her normal skin color, Nova could never cross the grass in front of Blue and Azure's cottage without looking down at every step to ensure that she wouldn't step on the child.

Raising a non-fairy child in a fairy world had been a challenge, but during Azure's younger years, her daughter had brought her more joy than she ever could have imagined. Taking her first steps into Blue's arms, hearing her sweet baby voice saying 'Mama', every new discovery that Azure made, no matter how tiny – they delighted Blue more than any wish she'd granted.

Her memories comforted her when her body ached from wanting to hold her daughter in her arms again. She kept telling herself that she needed to make an appointment with Archie, she needed to come to terms with the fact that her daughter was more than likely never coming back. She'd even picked up the phone and half-dialed his number before putting the phone down again. It was too final. Some days, her hope was the only thing that kept her going. She had to have hope. Without hope, she had nothing.

Putting away the last of the paperwork from the conference, she decided to treat herself to dinner at Granny's. The curse had been broken and everyone else was busy building new lives. Maybe she needed to try living for a change.

_Mr. Gold's Pawnbroker – Present Day_

Azure and Rumplestiltskin faced each other. Neither blinked, nor moved a muscle, as they stared one another down until Belle began to squirm from discomfort. It was as if they were daring each other to make the first move.

"So I can assume that the two of you have met before?" Belle broke the silence.

"Rumplestiltskin. I should have known you'd be here." Azure crossed her arms over her chest. "I wish I could say that it's good to see you safe and sound, but we both know I'd be lying through my teeth."

"You always were such a charming, well-mannered child." Rumple smirked at her. "Your mother really should have taught you better."

"She taught me that you have always been a lying, conniving, evil monster. Dare I hope that you might have changed after all this time?" Azure eyed him, warily.

"Many things have changed, dearie." Rumplestiltskin's expression softened. "I know you may not believe this, but I'm very pleased to see that you made it through the curse. I know that you haven't been in Storybrooke, may I ask how you survived?"

Azure relaxed, realizing that much had changed in the last 28 years, including Rumple. "The fairies set up a protection boundary on the land on the water at the edge of the realm. When Regina performed the curse, fairy dust protected us, but the Enchanted Forest was desecrated. We've been there while the rest of you have been here."

"A protection boundary. I heard rumblings of such, but didn't know that their plan had succeeded." Rumple nodded, approvingly. "And exactly how did you get here from there?"

"Long story." Azure had no intention of bringing up Cora yet. "It was a portal, but I don't know how I really got here."

"She hit her head when she came through." Belle interrupted. "It was bleeding and she came here for help."

"Belle took excellent care of me." Azure smiled at her. "I'm very grateful to her."

"She's a very caring person."

Azure could have sworn that Rumple was gazing adoringly at Belle when he said those words. She stifled a laugh.

"So the two of you knew each other…in our other world?" Belle's curiosity got the better of her. "How?"

"My mother is Rumple's sworn enemy." Azure shrugged. "He hated her. And she didn't particularly care for him. According to Rumple – "

"I'm Mr. Gold here." Rumple broke in to correct her. "This is my pawnshop. I'm used to being called Mr. Gold now, if you don't mind."

"Of course." Azure nodded, nonplussed. "According to Mr. Gold, my mother took something precious from him long before I was born, and he never forgave her."

"It was a long time ago." Mr. Gold continued for her. "Old wounds have been…not healed, exactly, but bandaged, perhaps. Blue and I share the experience of losing a child to, shall we say, _unfortunate_ circumstances? And now you've returned to her."

"I haven't seen her yet." Azure admitted, a lump forming in her throat. "Belle was about to take me to her when you came in."

"I believe I saw her going into Granny's Diner. You'll probably find her there." Mr. Gold reached out and took her hands in his. "Much has changed, child. Be cautious, but don't fear the unknown. Things are not always as they seem."

A moment of understanding passed between the two of them, and Azure found herself close to tears, but couldn't explain why. She gathered her courage and looked Mr. Gold in the eye. "I remember all of the rumors when I was a little girl. I never knew whether or not to believe them, and my mother would never tell me if they were true. But I have always known."

"Your instincts have always been correct then, child, I am not your father, nor was I the danger that your mother worked so hard to keep from hurting you." For a slight instant, Mr. Gold was almost sorry that the words he spoke to Azure were the truth. "I do wish I could tell you the name of your father, but I truly don't know."

"Thank you." Azure nodded, somberly. "I really would like to go to my mother now."

"I'll take you to Granny's." Belle stepped forward and took Azure's arm. "Are you sure that you're ready?"

"Never more than now." Azure straightened her blouse, and allowed Belle to lead her to the door. Just as they were about to walk out, she turned back to Mr. Gold. "I just want you to know…Baelfire was not among the refugees in our realm. I searched for him. But I do believe that he's in this realm and he will return to you. Even without magic, I believe that."

Gold searched her face for any sign of taunting or falsehoods, but the only expression he saw was pure belief. Pure, simple trust in a force that she didn't understand. He had no idea why, but her words gave him hope, hope that had eluded him for a very long time. He gave a brief nod of understanding.

Belle and Azure stepped outside onto the sidewalk, where Azure saw the lights of Granny's sign beckoning to her like a siren. She took a deep breath.

_Granny's Diner_

Blue was beginning to grow uncomfortable. Ruby kept glancing her way, and every time she did, her eyes would sparkle and she tried unsuccessfully to keep her bright red lips from turning up into a broad smile. Then Ruby would look at the door, and the cycle would begin again.

Blue had ordered a mushroom omelet with cheddar cheese, and while it was delicious as always, Ruby's strange behavior kept curbing her hunger. More than two-thirds of the omelet still sat on her plate, although the cup of coffee she'd asked for when she sat down had been refilled at least twice. Teaching Snow's class had definitely forced her to up her caffeine intake.

Ruby walked by with the coffeepot in her hand, noticing that Blue's cup was nearly empty again. "More?" Ruby asked, filling the cup before Blue could answer. As soon as the hot liquid neared the rim of the cup, Ruby slid into the booth across from her, placing the coffeepot on the table. "Look, I know you're wondering what's wrong with me tonight. I'm so glad that you came in here, though."

"It's good to see you, too, Ruby." Blue replied, still bewildered by the girl's behavior. "We've been so busy with all of the changes at school, and with Snow gone – "

"Blue." Ruby stopped her. "I need you to go over to Mr. Gold's right now. I'll fix you another omelet later if you want one, but you need to go to Mr. Gold's immediately. I can't tell you why, but please, just trust me."

Ruby's behavior was perplexing, and if Blue admitted it, slightly unnerving. There was no love lost between her and Mr. Gold, so she couldn't understand why Ruby was so insistent that she go to his shop. As she struggled to find the words to question Ruby's direction, the bells above the door rang and she heard it swing open behind her.

Suddenly, Ruby's attention focused on the door. "Never mind. Just know, Blue, that you have always deserved a happy ending as much as anyone else, whether you believe it or not. Now, you might want to turn around because there's somewhere here to see you."

Her head spinning, Blue turned slowly towards the door. For a moment, she was sure that Regina had cast the cruelest spell imaginable on her because the figure standing with Belle couldn't be real. She froze, unable to move or speak. All she could do was stare.

Azure took a hesitant step forward. "Mother?" She whispered, her voice nearly inaudible. "Mother, it's me."

"It's okay, Blue." Ruby murmured. "Go to her."

Blue stood, her entire body shaking, unsure if her legs would even allow her to walk to Azure. "Azure? My girl. You're really here?"

Azure nodded, a smile spreading across her face even as tears began to stream down her cheeks. "I found you."

With a heartbreaking sob, Blue rushed to Azure, and the next thing either of them knew, they were holding onto one another for dear life, Blue stroking her daughter's hair as Azure sobbed into her mother's shoulder. Neither spoke, neither wanted to let go of the other. That was okay, though. They had each other again, they needed nothing else. There would be time for words later.

_**Did I fool you guys with the Rumple/Azure conversation? **__** I will admit, when I first came up with the idea for this fic, my mind immediately went to Rumplestiltskin as Azure's father. But it would be dishonest to Rumple's hatred of The Blue Fairy because she was responsible for Baelfire and the bean that took him away from his father and a betrayal of both characters. But no worries for you Rumbelle shippers– Rumple and Belle will play a larger part in this story as it continues **__** . Azure and Blue may have found each other again, but the fallout has yet to come. Please review and let me know what you thought!**_


	7. Chapter 6

**Just felt like throwing a short little scene in here - writing this made me happy and I didn't feel like I wanted to add more. Please review and let me know what you thought.**

Chapter 6

_Present-Day Storybrooke – Granny's Bed & Breakfast_

Granny's was quiet, as usual. Blue suspected that she and Azure were the only two guests in the house. Ruby had been kind enough to whisk them away from the diner after their emotional reunion, away from the stares of the few other patrons, bringing them to the B&B for privacy. Granny gave them her largest and quietest room on the third floor after she'd enfolded Azure in her welcoming arms, gripping one of Blue's hands at the same time.

"Our fairy-girl is alive." Granny whispered Azure's old nickname to Blue, who blinked the tears back for what felt like the hundredth time in the last thirty minutes.

She still felt as if she were in a dream. A blurry, unreal, joyful dream, but a dream all the same. Her daughter slept on the bed, still in the blue top and jeans that Belle had lent her, although she'd kicked off the sneakers, the sheet pulled up to her mid-calf. Blue sat on the bed next to her, reaching out to pull the blanket over Azure.

"No…don't!" Azure cried out, slapping Blue's hands away, pulling the blanket away. "Stop!"

"Azure, baby, it's me." Blue grabbed at her hands, holding them quietly, speaking quietly. "It's Mother."

"Mother?" Azure looked around, confused, then down at the strange clothes she wore. She remembered, and threw her arms around Blue. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…"

"It's all right." Blue pulled Azure to her, rocking her gently in her arms, like she'd done when Azure was four or five and had been wakened by a bad dream. "You're safe with me."

"We had to sleep in shifts." Azure murmured, still half-asleep. "We had to watch for creatures. Things. Ogres and tigers. Leaves and trees. Stupid little dolls."

Blue realized that Azure was falling back asleep as she listed the 'things', and choked back a laugh. She nestled Azure back into the pillows, and then curled up next to her. She kissed Azure gently on the forehead, and fell asleep with her arms around her little girl. Her fairy-girl had come back to her.

For the first time in years, Blue slept soundly and with a smile on her face.


	8. Chapter 7

**Thanks to everyone who's read so far – I really hope you're enjoying the story. Please feel free to share any feedback, positive, constructive, negative – I'm trying to decide where I really want to go next with this. **

Chapter 7

_Enchanted Forest – Present-Day_

Emma trudged a few steps behind Snow, impressed that her mother – she still had trouble even thinking the word sometimes – had the dexterity and presence of mind to hear an almost-imperceptible noise, reach behind her back to grab an arrow, and line it up in the bow, ready to shoot – all within a millisecond. This was not the mild and meek Mary-Margaret Blanchard that had been her friend and roommate for nearly a year now. This woman…Snow White…was a bad-ass.

She thought that she only wanted to get back to Storybrooke for Henry, to return and be a real mom to her son, but the more time she spent here in this other world with Snow, the more she realized that she wanted to go back to get to know her father, to get to know David – James – Charming – whatever the hell his name was. Maybe she'd go all out and start calling him Daddy. Call Regina 'Grandmother'. A bark of laughter escaped.

Snow turned around and glanced at her, a smile crossing her lips. She fell back slightly in-step with Emma. "What's the joke?"

"Just wondering what I should call you and David when we get back." Emma grinned. "Mommy and Daddy might seem a little weird, don't you think?"

"Maybe a little." Snow replied, stifling a laugh. "I don't care what you call us, as long as we're all together again. "

Her throat suddenly closed up, and Emma couldn't speak. Somehow, Snow realized that, and just reached out to squeeze Emma's hand. "It's okay." Snow gave a quick nod. "There's plenty of time."

They walked along quietly for another few minutes, Mulan and Aurora following them. Finally, Emma felt like she had her emotions in check again. "Do you think Azure made it to Storybrooke?"

"I wish I could be sure. If we can find Cora, and that portal did lead the Storybrooke, we'd have a way home. I just wish I knew where the fairy dust came from. I can't imagine that Cora kept it secret for all of these years without trying to use it before now." Snow sighed. "But if it wasn't hers, that means Azure may have kept it from us. She may have lied to us."

"She's been kept away from her mother all of these years, too." Emma said, hesitantly, softly. "I don't know that I would fault her for wanting to keep it a secret until she knew if she could get back with us. When you lived here – before – did she give you any reasons not to trust her?"

"Not me. Her mother? Definitely yes. She rebelled and lied to Blue regularly when she got older. But the rest of us helped protect her. She knew that and she never blamed anyone else for the anger that she held for Blue." Snow shook her head. "But as you said, she's been away from her mother for a very long time. She still seemed like the sweet child I knew as she grew up when we first found her here, but she may have learned to hide her emotions. The gods only know what those trapped here went through."

"Well, my super power never thought she was lying, for what it's worth." Now Emma was the one who gave Snow's hand a reassuring squeeze. "I don't think she ever intentionally meant to leave us behind, only to ensure that all of us made it to Storybrooke. And since she doesn't have magic, if Cora knew she had the fairy dust and threatened her, she may have felt helpless."

"Do you truly believe that?"

Emma nodded. "Truly."

They continued walking in comfortable silence.

_Present-Day Storybrooke_

Word had gotten around quickly about Azure's unexpected appearance in Storybrooke. At the convent, the fairies who had helped raise Azure in the Fairies' Glen all wanted to see her, hug her, make sure that the rumors were true, that the little girl they'd all thought was lost forever had come back to them. No one was more excited than Nova, however, who had managed to pull together a non-magical celebration worthy of a dozen fairies with magic. All they needed now was their fairy-girl.

The fairy-girl, however, was busy taking in her new surroundings, and so far, they terrified her. She'd woken up out of her deep sleep, and at the sound of Blue's cell phone ringing, Azure had screamed with fear. As soon as Blue silenced the sound, Azure pointed at the phone, shaking. "WHAT…out of the Gods' Hades…is that _THING?!"_

"It's how people in Storybrooke talk to each other when they aren't in the same area." Blue showed her the phone. "They're called cell phones. It's for communication."

Azure refused the phone, pushing it back into her mother's hand. "I didn't get a chance to look at the town yesterday, really. Will we see it today? Will we see the others?"

Blue smiled, pulling Azure into a hug. "Of course. I'm sure the news has already made it around town and they're just waiting for you to make an appearance."

Azure hugged her mother back, and then got up to look out the window. Blue looked in the mirror to straighten her clothes, since she'd not bothered to go get a change at the convent the night before, and again, she heard a scream – quieter, this time – from Azure at the window. "What are those monsters? Do they run the town? What do they feed on?" Azure's eyes were pure terror, and Blue was overwhelmed with sympathy for the child who had been lost in a simple world for so long. She had so much to teach her daughter.

"Those are called 'cars'." Blue put her hands on Azure's upper arms. "They're machines. They don't think or eat or move by themselves. We use them to go places that are too far to walk. You actually rode in one last night, but you were so exhausted that I don't think you realized where you were."

"Everything is so different here." Azure glanced up at her mother, unshed tears threatening to spill over. "There's so much I don't understand just when I see outside."

"Look at me, darling girl." Blue led Azure to the bed and sat down with her. "I know this world is strange and terrifying right now, but I will be with you every step of the way to help take away those fears. You can ask me anything and I will tell you the truth. Soon, you'll feel comfortable here. I promise. Just look at everything that scares you, and if you can't explain it, just imagine that it's been enchanted by fairy dust and tell yourself that magic works differently here. Can you do that for me?"

Azure nodded, some of the fear draining from her face. "Yes. And you promise that you won't laugh at me if something scares me?"

"Oh, sweet girl, I would never laugh at you for being scared. You'll learn our ways in Storybrooke quickly, and you will fit right in." Blue rested her chin on top of Azure's messy auburn curls. "You have no idea how much joy I feel right now, having you back, having you safe. I know there are others who have been waiting to see you, but I feel selfish and wish I could keep you all to myself." She planted a kiss on the top of Azure's head, and then stood up resolutely. "However, if I do that, I expect not only Nova and Carys, but Seren, several dwarves, and quite possibly Geppetto to show up outside of this door, and not leave until I share you."

"I don't want to leave you again, Mother." Azure's words and expression were sincere and the tears began to fall. "I know we can't change that last year before the curse…but I'm so sorry that I left you and worried you."

"No more apologies." Blue replied, kneeling in front of her. "No more apologies from either of us, no more wishing that we could change the past, no more. Okay? You and I have been given a new chance and this is the beginning of our new life, no regrets."

"Our new life." Azure repeated, her tears slowing. "Together."

"Ready to see the rest of your family?" Blue stood up again, holding out a hand to Azure, who reached out and took it. "If you thought the cars startled you, you might want to prepare yourself for the welcome that you're likely to receive."

Azure grinned, and together, they left the room. After Granny gave Azure another long hug, Blue and Azure began the short walk to the convent. School was in session and it was past lunchtime, so the streets were fairly deserted.

"School will be dismissed in just a few moments, so don't worry if you see a horde of children running towards us. I have been teaching Mary-Margaret's – Snow White's – class while she's been gone." Blue smiled, quietly. "I have also been in charge of the school all of the years that we've been here, but now that you've returned to me, I want to be with you as much as possible right now. I will find someone to take over Snow's class, and take time away. The convent isn't suitable for us as a place to live – "

"What is a convent?" Azure asked. "Is it like the Fairies' Glen? Don't you have a cottage where we could live in the convent?"

"A convent is where women called 'nuns' live. It's part of a religious order, and the curse gave all of the fairies the memories of nuns." Blue noted her daughter's confused expression. "I'll explain it more in detail later. And no, we can't live in the convent. It's much smaller than our old home, and I only have one room. Until I find a new home for us, we'll stay at Granny's."

"Won't you miss the others? They're our family, too."

"We'll still see them as much as we want." Blue assured her. "I will find us our own home, large enough for both of us and then some. You'll go to school eventually, but not until you're ready."

"School?"

"Yes, school." Blue replied, teasingly. "I know you were quite spoiled with lessons at home, but you'll enjoy going to school. There's so much to learn, you'll meet new friends – "

"Can we slow down?" Azure stopped on the sidewalk, overwhelmed. "It's too much at once."

"Of course." Blue realized that she'd been getting ahead of herself. "I'm sorry. Since the curse was broken, I wouldn't allow myself to imagine a future for the two of us, but now I'm getting ahead of myself. We can talk about all of this later."

They crossed in front of Mr. Gold's and Azure quickly peered in, hoping to see Belle. The shop appeared empty, though, so she continued walking. Within a few seconds, though, the door to the shop opened and Belle emerged with a bright smile on her face.

"Well, you're certainly looking much better than you looked yesterday." Belle said, cheerfully. "Got some sleep, did you?"

"Belle!" Azure rushed over to her new friend, giving her a quick hug. "I'm so glad to see you again!"

"And I am thrilled to see you." Belle grinned. "How are you? Both of you?" She locked eyes with Blue, who gave her a curt nod.

"I'm still getting used to things around here." Azure seemed nearly jubilant with Belle, her demeanor more relaxed than it had been in the last 24 hours. "But I think I'll get the hang of it. Mother's being very patient with me."

"That's what a mother does." Belle replied. She turned her attention to Blue. "I'm glad to see you. I put together a small suitcase of clothes and shoes for Azure – I know that shopping for new clothes is probably the last thing on your mind and didn't want you to have to worry about rushing out to buy them."

"That's very kind of you." Blue answered. "Thank you, I've been wondering how we're going to get everything she needs all at once."

"I'll drop the clothes by Granny's later today." Belle told them, stepping back from Azure, who was practically stuck to her side. Belle could tell that Blue was uneasy about her daughter's sudden attachment to a woman she'd just met the day before, even though Azure's comfortable ease with Belle was probably just because Belle had been the first person that she'd met in this strange new world, caring for her injury and calming her. "Now, I expect you'd better get going. I heard there's been quite a flurry of activity in the school today and that Nova has practically used every grain of sugar in the kitchen to make cakes for you."

"I'll see you soon, though, right?" Azure waited for Belle to reassure her. Belle nodded, satisfying Azure, who waved goodbye and began walking toward the school and convent again with Blue, suddenly chattering about Belle. "I didn't know her in our old world, did I? I really like her, Mother. She was so nice to me yesterday."

Before Azure noticed that Blue had grown subdued at Belle's appearance and departure, they passed the side door of the school, which suddenly flung open. Azure huddled next to her mother, expecting to be overtaken by a large group of children, but only one person stood in the doorway.

"Nova." Azure whispered, beginning to run to the figure. "Nova!" She flew into Nova's waiting arms. They both began talking at breakneck speed, so quickly that it sounded like they were speaking their own private language, and no one else able to make out their words.

Azure saw the others standing behind Nova. Grumpy, Doc, and the rest of the dwarves from the mines were there. So were the other fairies from the Glen, Carys, Seren, eight of them in all. Geppetto. And she saw Prince James, standing slightly apart from the others, with a boy of ten or eleven by his side. So many of the people she'd known and loved in their world.

Her eyes shining with pure, unblemished love, she turned to look for Blue. As soon as she was satisfied that her mother was still near her, Azure ran to those who were waiting for her. Storybrooke may not have been the home she grew up in, but at that moment, her family and her home were one and the same. And she was finally and truly home.


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

_Present-Day Storybrooke_

The party had gone on for several hours now, and Azure felt more and more drained, both emotionally and physically. Unlike her time in the other realm, when staying awake meant staying alive, this was a pleasant fatigue, a drowsy happiness of being surrounded by family and friends. As she told and retold her story, as she listened to the stories of those she loved, her body began to slip into a relaxed exhaustion.

She'd spent the festivities going from one pair of arms to another, laughter and tears mingled until she could no longer tell the difference. Somehow, though, while she'd gotten a moment to hug Prince James and meet Henry – Henry! – , she hadn't been able to spend any time with either of them, as more and more residents from her realm began showing up to see Azure with their own eyes.

She had assured James and Henry that Snow and Emma were both safe, the last time she'd seen them, and that they would hopefully be able to come back the way she had. She hadn't gone into details, although there was so much more to tell James. She'd find the time when Nova wasn't reaching for her every few moments, as if making sure that Azure was real.

The party was growing quieter, a sign that it would more than likely break up soon. In a rare moment of solitude, Azure made her way to get a drink from one of the tables, unable to stifle a massive yawn. She stared at the beverage offerings on the table, trying to decide which one she would try next. The water had been…well, water. That she knew. She'd tried orange juice and had to stop herself from spitting the sour liquid back into her cup. Grumpy had assured her that it was supposed to taste that way, but she never knew whether or not to believe him. The drink called 'cola' had been her favorite, sweet and crisp and bubbly. However, two cups had just made her thirstier, so she'd gone back to water.

"You should try the punch."

She heard a boy's voice beside her and turned to see Henry smiling at her. "Nova's made it for us before for school parties. She mixed a bunch of juices and adds some clear fizzy soda. It's really good." Henry scooped out a cup, handing it to her. "It's a good drink for a celebration."

"Thanks." Azure took the cup, holding it, but not drinking it. She stood there, awkwardly, wanting to say so much to this boy that she'd never met, but unable to get the words out.

"You're not in my book." Henry broke the silence. "Did my mom or my grandma tell you about the book?"

Azure nodded, a sly grin crossing her lips. "I heard about the book and how you brought Emma to Storybrooke. If it weren't for you, there would still be a curse. Thank you for believing in the stories."

"I just read a book." Henry shrugged. "Everyone else did the work."

"Emma – your mom – was modest, too." Azure glanced at him. "I'm really sorry that they weren't able to come with me. I didn't really have a choice."

"It's okay. I know they're going to make it back. My grandpa has promised." Henry motioned to James. "He's Prince – "

"Charming." Azure finished with a giggle. "I can't believe James is a grandfather." She paused. "Your book. Was my mother in it?"

Henry nodded. "She didn't have her own story, but she was a part of others. You were never in the book, though."

"I imagine that the stories in your book had happy endings, though. Am I correct?" At Henry's nod, Azure continued. "The fairies, including my mother, never had happy endings. Do you know how old most of the fairies are?"

"Hundreds of years old?" Henry asked.

"At least." Azure replied. She peered across the room where her mother and Geppetto were talking. Blue caught her eye and smiled at her, lovingly. Azure returned the smile shyly, then turned her attention back to Henry. "Mother never told me how old she truly was, although there was a fairy named Esme who lived in the Fairies' Glen and I know that she was over 750 years old. She died when I was about five, but she died from an accident, not of old age. I've never seen a fairy die of old age before."

"That's why there were no stories about them, then. No time."

"Or too much time. The fairies don't have happy endings like regular people. They made sure that others had their happy endings, which was supposed to be what they were born to do. It's what they've done for thousands and thousands of years." Azure paused. "What my mother did for her entire life until…well, until I came along."

"That's why when Grandpa told me about you, I wondered why you weren't in my book." Henry glanced around cautiously, then lowered his voice. "I thought Blue would have her own story because of you. But he said that he didn't know everything about how you were born, only that Blue was madly in love with you, and wouldn't tell anyone who your father was."

"She's never told me." Azure shook her head. "It's one of the reasons that I began to rebel against her as I grew up. I regret my behavior now. I know she'll tell me when she's ready." She realized that she was treading in dangerous territory, and wanted to get off the subject of her parentage. "She said that she's going to find a home for the two of us, that we can't live here because there's not enough room."

"Mr. Gold owns everything in town." Henry grimaced. "If she's trying to find a new house, she'll have to go through him. And they hate each other."

"I met Mr. Gold yesterday." Azure said, quietly. "When Belle helped me. He's not the Rumple that I remember from the Enchanted Forest. He's different somehow. I can't explain it, but I don't think he blames my mother for his troubles as he once did." Suddenly, an enormous yawn overtook her, and her body sank with sheer exhaustion. She gave an apologetic smile to Henry. "Sorry. It's been a very tiring few days."

Henry wasn't offended. "We can talk more when you've slept."

"I'd like that." Azure found herself surprisingly drawn to the eleven-year-old, and was sorry that their conversation was coming to an end. "I think we have a lot to talk about."

Blue had noticed how quickly her daughter was fading and appeared by her side. "I believe it's time for us to say our goodbyes." She said to Henry with a smile. "I'm glad to see that you two seem to be making friends."

She helped Azure into the jacket that Belle had loaned her. "Are you all right to walk back to Granny's?"

Azure nodded. "I think so. I'm tired, but the fresh air will help." She gave a brief wave to Henry, who grinned at her, and allowed herself to be led back into the fray by her mother. After saying their goodbyes as briefly as possible, Azure promising a tearful Nova that she'd be back to see her the next day, Blue and Azure left the building for the short walk back to Granny's.

The street was deserted once again, Azure noticed, except for a few cars that were moving slowly through the town. She had to admit, the metal monsters were going to terrify her for a long time, but she'd get used to them. A sleek, silver car caught her eye as it drove past the school. It was shaped like a silver eagle, almost, the majestic birds that flew – used to fly – over the Enchanted Forest in abundance. She was so engrossed in the shape of the car that she paid no attention to the driver.

Blue saw the driver, though, and she knew that he saw her. He saw Azure. One short, quick glimpse as the car drove by, and her heart began to race, her palms grew sweaty, and she felt a pounding in her head that threatened to bring her to her knees. The old, familiar terror engulfed her, leaving her unable to move for a moment. Then, gathering every bit of strength and courage that she had, she pulled Azure close to her, so that Azure's back was to the street. The car continued to pass, and he looked at her, looked her straight in the eye. Within seconds, however, he was gone, as was the car, turning right onto Elm Street, the opposite direction of Granny's. She wouldn't dare take the chance, though. Before she could go back in to secure a safe ride for them, Geppetto appeared behind them.

"She is tired, no?" Geppetto motioned to Azure, his soft accent an automatic comfort to Blue. "Come, I will drive you to Granny's. It will let me spend a few more minutes with this beautiful lost girl who has returned to her family."

Relief washed over Blue as she and Azure followed Geppetto to his car. Azure was so tired that she didn't even protest as Blue helped her into the backseat, then got in the car next to her. Before she could even help Azure with her seatbelt, the girl had rested her head on her mother's shoulder and fallen fast asleep. Geppetto shut the car door for them and took his place in the driver's seat. He seemed content without conversation, starting the car, and slowly starting the short ride to Granny's.

Blue tried to calm her terrified nerves, her stomach churning with nausea. He'd seen Azure. He knew she was here. She knew it was inevitable, but she'd hoped that she'd be able to keep the news of Azure's presence in Storybrooke a secret for more than a day. She had to find a new way to protect her child. In the Enchanted Forest, she'd had magic and the assistance of most of the kingdoms in the realm to protect Azure. Here…here, she had nothing. No magic. No way to take Azure away. She had her friends, yes, but he was powerful and persistent.

Things were different here, though. Azure would not serve the same purpose in Storybrooke that her very existence had served in the Enchanted Forest. Was he still a danger to her? Blue didn't know. But she still felt the danger in her very core, knew that even if Azure couldn't be what he wanted here, she would be his revenge.

She wouldn't let that happen. She would kill him with her bare hands if she had to.

_Fairies' Glen – 16 years' ago_

A giant thump woke her from her light slumber. She smiled, realizing the thump had come from inside her heavy belly, her baby expressing displeasure at the rumble in her stomach.

"Feeling hungry, my little one?" She stroked the massive bump lovingly, wondering how she could be so in love with this tiny, invisible being that she'd never met. Not much longer and she'd be holding her son or daughter in her arms. She couldn't wait. "Well, then, let's get you a snack. Mama's hungry, too."

Hefting herself up from the soft, comfortable chair, she went to the kitchen of her little cottage and made a small meal of bread, cheese, and some boiled meat that Seren had been kind enough to bring her. Being so close to giving birth, everything seemed to tire her quickly, and her fairy sisters were taking special care of her.

She had just settled back into the chair with her meal and a cup of cider when someone knocked at the door. Knowing she'd never make it to the door before nightfall, she simply called "Come in!" The door opened and Carys poked her head in the door. "Feeling up to a bit of company?"

"Of course." She smiled. "You needn't even ask."

Carys made herself comfortable in the chair across from her. "I believe that you've grown bigger just since I saw you this morning, Beyla." Carys used her fairy name, the one that was typically only used between the fairies. The outside world knew them by their generic names…Blue, Pink, Periwinkle, etc. Very few outside of the fairy world knew that the Blue Fairy had an actual name.

"I feel as if she's in there plotting her escape right now." Beyla rubbed her stomach. "Something's felt different for the past few days. She'll be here within two days, mark my word."

"She?" Carys raised an eyebrow.

Beyla nodded. "I'm positive it's a girl. I can't explain it, I just know. Of course, it doesn't matter if it's a girl or a boy to me, I'm just excited to become a mother. But a part of me knows that she's a girl."

"Maybe if you name her for Esme, you'll soften the old toad up a bit." Carys grinned. "Why does she expect you to be ashamed of your baby? It may be unusual – "

"More like a one-in-a-million kind of thing." Beyla interrupted, laughing.

"Rare." Carys corrected herself. "It may be a rare thing for a fairy to actually give birth to a child conceived by a non-fairy…okay, it's rare for a fairy to give birth at all…but it's not prohibited. Your child will be loved by all of us. I've never seen the Glen so excited with anticipation."

"I don't think it's the child, necessarily." Beyla shook her head. "It's how she came to be. She believes that my judgment was flawed, that I was careless and irresponsible because of who this child's father is, and that my behavior will bring shame and fear to the fairies."

"Beyla." Carys reached out and took her hand. "Maybe if you told us WHO the father is, we could help you against Esme."

Beyla looked down, twisting her hands. "I can't, Carys. Because as much as I hate to admit it, Esme is right. I was caught up in what I thought was love, and I WAS reckless. And because of my carelessness, my child can never know who her father is. No one can know. I won't allow my decision to hurt the ones that I love."

"Really, Beyla, can one man be that bad?"

"One man. One very powerful, very determined man with every possible advantage at his disposal. There may come a time that he decides that my child may be useful to him, but I will never let him take this baby and use it as a pawn." Beyla covered her bump protectively with her arms. Suddenly, she felt a long, dull pain begin in her lower belly, becoming more and more intense and lasting for at least thirty seconds. When it ended, she looked at Carys, fear in her eyes and her voice. "I think I'm in labor. The baby's coming."

"I guess there's nothing left to do right now except for you to have a baby, is there?" Carys stood up quickly. "I'll go alert Seren so that she can fetch the midwife. I'll only be a minute and I'll be right back." Carys knelt down in front of Beyla and took her hands. "Everything will be all right, Beyla. You'll see. Think of it…you're going to be a mother very soon." She kissed her friend's cheek and rushed out to find Seren.

Another contraction gripped her abdomen two and a half minutes later, more intense and painful than the last. This one felt as if it had the ability to rip her insides in two, and she could feel the child moving downward. By the time Carys returned, she'd had three more contractions, an unmistakable urge to push accompanying each one.

Carys helped her to her bed, and then quickly examined Beyla for any signs of progress. "I think your little one is trying to beat the midwife. I can see the head. When the next contraction starts, I want you to push as hard as you can, all right? You can do this, Beyla. You're strong and you're determined and you are about to become a mother. Ready now? Let's go…PUSH, Beyla, push!"

Bearing down as hard as she could, Beyla brought her child into the world.

_King George's Castle – 16 years' ago_

The King sat in his parlor, sipping a glass of ale alone. A knock at the door interrupted his thoughts, and he called out, annoyed, "Enter!"

A page opened the door gingerly, appearing fearful of what the King might do to him for the disturbance. He dropped to one knee, his head bowed low. "Your Highness."

"What is it, boy?" King George tried not to snap at the formalities. "Be quick about it."

"I have an urgent message for Your Grace." The boy held out a small piece of folded paper. "It just arrived."

"Who is it from?" King George took the paper.

"I don't know, Sir." The page bowed. "A messenger from the town delivered it, but he received it from a peasant woman. He didn't know her."

"Very well. You may go." King George watched as the boy gave another formal bow and backed out of the room. He unfolded the paper and read it, only two sentences, but two sentences that held more meaning to him than any speech he'd ever given.

"**The fairy gave birth this afternoon to a healthy, non-magical baby girl. You have a royal daughter."**

He could scarcely believe it. A child of his blood after all these years. A true heir to his throne, unlike his adopted son.

He knew he'd have to bide his time. This had to be done right, he had to lay claim to her carefully. Even her mother, that fairy that he'd actually thought he might have loved, even she wouldn't be able to keep his daughter from him. He'd do whatever was necessary, but in the end, he would prevail.

King George, simply put, didn't fail.


	10. Chapter 9

_**I know I have not updated this story in ages, and I am sorry – I hope those of you who have read in the past will forgive me if I promise to update regularly. Thank you for all of the comments, reviews, and time that you've taken to read previously, and if you've enjoyed the story before, I really hope you'll continue to read new chapters as I post them.**_

**Chapter 9**

_Present-Day Storybrooke_

She'd been in Storybrooke for two weeks now, and it still seemed unreal at times. Being in her own land, no matter how desolate, how dangerous it had been…she was keenly aware of that missing part of her soul and sometimes, she felt an overwhelming urge to return to the life she'd known for so long. Here in Storybrooke, though, she had her family. And she wouldn't ever give them up.

"Earth to Mary-Margaret."

Her daughter's voice snapped her out of her thoughts. She glanced up at Emma, who stood next to the park bench, smiling at her. "You look like you're trying to solve the world's problems in one go." Emma sank down next to her as they both watched Henry swing from the monkey bars.

"Or two worlds." Snow gave her a wry smile, moving over to give Emma more room. "Just thinking about what we left behind us."

Emma studied her mother for several minutes. "Do you want to find a way to go back?"

Snow reached for Emma's hand. "Not with things like this. Not with everything so up in the air here and in the Enchanted Forest. The only thing I want to do right now is to keep you and Henry safe."

"You know, you could let us take care of you a little." Emma stared straight ahead, her discomfort suddenly showing again. It was still strange to be a daughter, still strange to think of her former roommate as her mother. Even so, she couldn't help wanting to protect Mary-Margaret, the same way her mother wanted to protect her. "I think I still owe you for taking down the ogres in the Enchanted Forest."

"Family doesn't keep score." Snow squeezed her hand with a grin. "Although, if you'd ever like to have an archery competition, I'll retract that statement."

"Mom!" Henry called, flinging himself from the monkey bars to the ground. "Don't do it! She'll wipe the ground with you!"

Snow and Emma laughed, and Emma was pretty sure that he was right. "No kidding. I'd rather take on Robin Hood."

Henry leapt onto the bars again, concentrating on alternating hanging by his knees and his hands. His mother and his grandmother watched him, no need to put their happiness into words.

"I saw Azure yesterday." Emma said, breaking the quiet after a few minutes. "She was walking down the street in front of the library around lunchtime."

Snow frowned. "Lunchtime?"

"Yeah. Twelve-thirty, one o'clock."

"She's supposed to be in school then." Snow sighed. "Blue enrolled her last week. I haven't talked to Blue, but I've seen Azure heading out of school during school hours twice. Her teacher's obviously aware of her absence, so I'm sure Blue knows."

Emma turned to Snow. "Whether Blue knows or not, I'm not sure I understand why Azure needs to go to school. At least, not yet."

"Normalcy." Snow responded, shaking her head. "Blue is determined to give her the Storybrooke version of normalcy. You're right, though, I've wondered the same thing."

"What _is _normal around here? In Azure's mind, she's spent the past 28 years taking care of herself in a terrifying land, even if her physical form never grew from that of a fifteen-year-old girl. She is, for all intents and purposes, an adult." Emma struggled to find the right words, to be tactful, not to hurt Snow. "She's grown up without her mother, and it must be difficult for both of them to find a middle ground."

"Spoken like someone who knows from experience." Snow wasn't offended. "I just worry for Blue. She carried around so much guilt in her old life about Azure, about the things that she couldn't tell her or wouldn't tell her. So many people here have only seen her as a fairy godmother, they never saw any of her life in Fairy Glen."

"You know, that's something I've been wondering." Emma's tone suddenly became curiously playful. "How does a fairy godmother, a flying, wish-granting, tiny wisp of a person have a secret affair and get pregnant by a…" Emma struggled to find a word. "I don't know. Human?"

"Fairies have always had the ability to take human form. They don't often do so for a long period of time, but even fairies have the desire to be just like everyone else sometimes." Snow smiled, wryly. "I think Blue just had a time where she was fed up with granting wishes for everyone else and wanted to experience life as a human. So she did. I remember seeing her – I was just a teenager at the time, before I ran from Regina - and it _was_ somewhat of a shock to see the woman I thought of as my personal fairy godmother living just like everyone I knew."

"Rumspringa." Emma mused. Snow looked at her in confusion, so Emma tried to explain. "It's something Amish teenagers go through. The Amish are a religious sect. Most of them don't believe in electricity, use cars – "

"I've read about them in textbooks. I know who they are." Snow grinned. "I've never heard of Rumspringa, though."

"I think it loosely translates to 'running around'. They get a chance to experience what life is like in the outside world, and decide if they want to become a part that world, or join the Amish church and commit to being Amish for the rest of their life." Emma explained. "Sounds like Blue needed to have the fairy version of Rumspringa."

Snow nodded in agreement. "That's a fairly close comparison. But when she became pregnant, she wanted the safety of her family."

"So you really don't know who Azure's father is?" Emma stared at Snow, trying to use her secret power to discern if Snow was going to tell her the truth.

"I really don't. I wish Blue would tell us, tell her friends, let us help her. There are times that she seems so terrified that Azure will discover her real parentage. I can see it in her eyes, I can see how much it scares her."

"Well, when she's ready to talk, she has plenty of friends to lean on." Emma reached for Snow's hand, squeezing it. "She doesn't even have to make a wish. She just has to ask."

_Granny's Diner_

Granny's was quiet, typical for mid-afternoon. Aside from two random townspeople, the only patrons sat in a booth, talking quietly.

"You've got to stop leaving school in the middle of the day." Belle admonished Azure with a smile. "Your teachers must know that you're doing so."

"I hate it there." Azure shook her head. "I really hate it. They stare at me. I don't understand the writing in the books except for what you've been teaching me. I don't understand why I have to learn what they want me to learn. I'm only there because my mother says it's what normal teenagers do around here. They go to school. But I'm not a normal teenager."

"I shouldn't be keeping your library visits a secret from your mother, though." Belle tried to reason with Azure. "She's responsible for you. As much as I enjoy your visits, it's not my place to decide whether or not you can stay."

"I just need more time to get used to everything." Azure glanced down at her clothes, a light pink turtleneck sweater and jeans, with pink fuzzy boots on her feet. Uggs, the other kids called them. She didn't think they were that cute, but she did have to admit that they were the most comfortable shoes she'd ever worn. "Even the clothes…it's rather fun to wear pants instead of a dress all the time, but it's just different. And when I'm in school, even if I'm dressed like the others, it's still obvious that I don't fit in. The other kids make me feel different. They laugh when I get an answer wrong."

Belle's heart ached for her young friend. "You've got to give it time. Give them a chance to get to know you."

"You didn't need time." Azure pointed out. "If I mess up a word, you never laugh at me. You're the only person in Storybrooke who understands what I'm feeling. My mother included."

"Then as your friend, I'm asking you to stop skipping class." Belle smiled at her. "If it were up to me, I'd love to have you in the library with me all day. You're a great helper and the company is nice. But you owe it to your mother to try."

Azure sighed. "Okay. I'll do it for you."

"Not for me." Belle shook her head in amusement. "For you and for Blue. Show her that you're trying."

Azure nodded, silently. Belle reached into her wallet and put a twenty dollar bill on the table. "For our lunch. I've got to get back to the library, and while I can't tell you what to do, I'd like to suggest that you come clean to your mother about skipping class. Be honest with her."

Azure nodded again. Belle gave her a quick hug, leaving wordlessly, knowing Azure would do as she suggested. She knew that Blue was apprehensive about the amount of time that Azure had been spending with her. Jealous was probably closer to the truth, but they both knew that Azure was clinging to Belle's friendship as a safety net. True, Belle was genuinely fond of the girl and enjoyed spending time with her. Still, at some point, she would need to step back to let mother and daughter work on their relationship. Without a safety net.

Alone at the table at Granny's, Azure lingered over her chocolate malt and French fries, a book open on the table next to her. Belle had been teaching her to read this strange new language – English - with this book, called _Jane Eyre. _Almost every word was a struggle, but Jane's story intrigued her. She identified with Jane's struggle to fit in, to find her place in life.

As she began to try to read where she'd last left off with Belle, a shadow fell over the table. Azure glanced up to see a man standing there, a small, strange smile on his face. He looked familiar, but she couldn't place him.

"_Jane Eyre._ A lovely choice. It's a beautiful book." The man said, tapping the pages with a finger. "Are you enjoying it?"

"I'm just learning to read English." Azure admitted, sheepishly. "But yes, I am enjoying it so far, thank you."

"Ah, you must be the Blue Fairy's long-lost daughter." His face registered recognition. "There's been much excitement in Storybrooke since you've arrived. It seems only fitting that the fairy godmother should get her happy ending."

"I'm not so sure how happy things are so far." Azure had no idea why she would say such a thing to a man she didn't know. "I miss our old land very much."

"It's not easy, is it?" The man sympathized with her. "Those of us who have been in Storybrooke have had years to become used to our surroundings. I can only imagine how difficult it is to come to this world since the curse was broken."

"Who are you?" Azure couldn't contain her curiosity any longer. "Do I know you?"

The man smiled. "My name in Storybrooke is Albert. Albert Spencer. But in our old land, I was King George."

"You're Prince James' father!" Azure exclaimed. She'd heard things about him. Not so nice things.

"That's quite a long story, my child." Albert – George – gave her a gentle smile. "I'm not the same person I was in our old land. Twenty-eight years living a different life will change even the hardest of hearts and I regret many of my past transgressions. But I'm disturbing you. Please, go back to your book. It will be worth the challenge of learning to read it, I guarantee you."

"It's all right, really." Azure motioned to the empty seat. "As you can see, my lunch partner disappeared. You're welcome to join me. I could use help with some of the difficult words.

"That's very kind of you." Albert slid into the booth across from her. "Why don't you tell me where you are, and I'll be glad to assist as needed. I haven't read Jane Eyre in quite a while."

Azure pushed the book halfway across the table. "She's just arrived to become governess to the little girl." She began to read, slowly, haltingly. Albert provided help when she stumbled over a word, but as Azure read, she found that her confidence grew.

_Outside of Granny's Diner_

Blue took a deep breath, trying to calm the anger bubbling up in her throat. She'd suspected that Azure had been leaving school early to go to the library, to see Belle, but a short discussion with the 9th grade teacher had confirmed her suspicions. And it hadn't just been once or twice, it had been nearly every day since Azure had been in school. The teacher hadn't wanted to tell Blue immediately, assuming that Azure was going through a period of adjustment, but as it had been two weeks, she'd finally gone to Blue and informed her of her wayward daughter's absences.

Blue's first stop had been the library, but it was closed. A quick word from a passing Grumpy let her know that Azure was having a late lunch with Belle at Granny's. When Blue saw Belle leave Granny's, she knew that her daughter would still be there. Before she confronted Azure, however, she needed to calm herself, so she'd gone to sit in the town square for a few minutes to collect her thoughts.

The alone time hadn't done much to soothe her nervous guilt. It had been nearly two months since Azure had been in Storybrooke, and it felt as if the distance between them was even more vast than it had been when they were two worlds apart. It ripped her heart in two every time Azure chose to go to Belle instead of coming to her. She didn't know how to help her own daughter.

Truth be told, she was jealous. Jealous of Belle, jealous that her daughter preferred Belle's opinions to her own mother's. Jealous that Azure would talk to Belle about her fears, her worries, her hopes, but not her. She felt as if she had failed her child.

It wasn't Belle's fault. It wasn't Azure's, either. They couldn't help that they had connected. Blue was grateful to Belle, even if she couldn't show it, grateful that her daughter would at least talk to someone she trusted. But she wanted to be that person.

She thought back to the first time Azure had said "Mama" and how in love she had been with the tiny girl, how she'd felt as though she'd always be the center of her world. She'd give anything for Azure to call her Mama again. She wanted to be the center of her daughter's world again, just as her daughter had always been the center of hers.

Gathering her strength, she promised herself that she'd listen to Azure, hear her side of the story and do what she could to help Azure acclimate to life in Storybrooke. She wouldn't force it, she'd let it happen for Azure at her own pace, even if it meant allowing her to withdraw from school or spend time with Belle. Her daughter's needs came first, before her own selfish emotions.

Her heart lighter, she crossed the street to Granny's and went inside. When she saw Azure, her heart began to pound so hard in her chest that she couldn't hear anything else. Blackness swam in her eyes and she struggled against the nausea that threatened to overtake her. It wasn't rage. It was pure, unadulterated fear that swept through her entire body.

It was _him. _Sitting across from _her _child, an open book between the two of them, Azure reading the unfamiliar language as he corrected her pronunciation gently or helped her with a difficult word. A scene she'd never imagined because she'd tried so hard to prevent it. So damn hard. And all for nothing now.

Azure noticed her first. She glanced up at Blue, smiling tentatively. "Mother!" She called, happily. "King George – I mean Mr. Spencer – he's helping me with my reading. It's very kind of him, isn't it?"

He turned to face Blue, his expression pleasant, as if simply greeting an old acquaintance. "Good afternoon, Mother Superior." He stood, motioning to the booth. "You have a very charming daughter. She's allowed me the pleasure of listening to her read a bit of one of my favorite books. Now that you're here, though, I'll take my leave." He gave a mock bow to a bemused Azure. "It has been an honor, my child. I do hope we meet again soon."

Azure blushed in embarrassment. "Thank you for your help."

"My pleasure, my child."

White-hot anger shot through Blue at his use of 'my child'. She resisted the urge to grab her wand and blow him into oblivion. As he walked past her to leave, he whispered words that Azure couldn't hear, whispered them so softly that had Blue not known better, she'd have thought that she imagined them.

"Our daughter is a beautiful girl. If you think you can keep her from me now, think again, Fairy."


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

_Granny's Diner - Present-Day Storybrooke_

Her hands shook uncontrollably as he left, brushing her shoulder with his arm. A deliberate move on his part, she knew. He thought he could intimidate her, frighten her.

He could. That small gesture terrified her more than words. He had seen Azure, talked to her, gained her trust in just a couple of minutes. He had always been good at that, she'd learned the hard way long ago. He knew. He _knew_. Everything she'd done to protect her daughter, the steps she'd taken so many years ago…all of those precautions destroyed in less time than it took to read a few pages of a book.

Gone in an instant.

"Mother?" Azure said from the booth. "Are you okay?"

She willed her hands to stay still, stop moving, just STOP! She was a fairy godmother, she had magic, she could turn wooden puppets into real boys, why couldn't she stop her damn hands from shaking with fear? Taking a deep breath, she tried to smile at Azure. "I'm fine, poppet." She motioned to the table. "May I sit with you?"

Azure nodded, glancing down as if not wanting to look Blue in the eye. "I was going to come back over to the school to find you. I wanted to talk to you. I need to tell you something."

Blue slid into the booth next to Azure and put an arm around her, trying desperately to put the encounter with George out of her mind. "I already know. It's okay. I think we have a few things to discuss, but I'm not upset with you. I've been asking too much of you."

"You know I've been leaving school at lunchtime?" She watched for Blue's reaction, unsure of what to expect. "And that I've been going to the library every afternoon?"

Blue nodded. "I know. Ms. Reynolds told me today, but I'd suspected it." She pulled Azure closer to her, resting her chin on Azure's head. "It was too soon for you to go to school. It might never be time, for all I know."

"It doesn't feel right." Azure practically whispered. "I know it's what you want for me, but I don't belong there. At least…not yet." She leaned back and looked her mother in the eye. "And I'm sorry I've been sneaking out of school. I was afraid that you would tell me that I just needed more time to adjust, so I kept it from you."

"I'm glad you were honest with me. We both need to work on that, don't we?"

"Belle told me that it wasn't fair to you. And I realized she was right." Azure pushed a French fry around on the plate in front of her. "You don't like how much time I spend with Belle at the library, do you?"

Blue took a deep breath. "It's not that you're spending so much time with Belle. I understand why you feel comfortable around her – she helped you when you came through the portal, and she knows what it's like to be thrust into a strange world where you feel alone and frightened." She pushed a strand of hair behind Azure's right ear. "I will admit, I'm a bit jealous because you seem to open up to her more easily than you do to me, but again, I shoulder much of the blame for that. I've done much too much talking and not enough listening with you."

Azure leaned her head on her mother's shoulder and reached down to hold her hand. They were silent for several minutes, and Blue closed her eyes, letting her body relax as she listened to Azure breathe softly. Finally, she broke the quiet. "As of now, there will be no more school. I'm not promising that it will be a permanent solution because if we do find a way back to our land or out of Storybrooke into the outside world, you will need an education. In the meantime, I have an alternate proposal to make. We'll need to talk to Belle, but since you seem to be making progress with her at the library, if she agrees to tutor you, would that be an acceptable solution for now?"

"Really?" Azure lifted her head up and her eyes were bright with pleasure. "Really, Mama?"

Before Blue could reply, Azure threw her arms around her and hugged her tightly. "Yes, my girl. Really." Blue blinked back the tears that welled up in her eyes. For the first time since Azure had come to Storybrooke…no, even since before Azure had run away and hidden that last year before Regina enacted the curse…Blue felt the pure, uncomplicated love for her daughter and _from _her daughter that she thought she'd never feel again.

She wrapped her arms around Azure's small frame and just held her as close as she could. And in the back of her mind, she knew she'd find a way to deal with George. Albert. Azure's _father. _He wasn't going to win. She'd make sure of that.

_A Town Market In The Enchanted Forest – 16 years before the curse _

No one recognized her. Not one person. No one asking for wishes. No one asking for her to help them capture the man of their dreams or escape their dreary life as a maid.

Freedom.

In the many years that she'd been alive, she'd never experienced true freedom. The freedom that came with being a normal height, wearing the same kind of dress as any other young woman in the market, and most of all – the freedom of not having those blasted wings attached to her back everywhere she went.

Of course, the wings disappeared when she took human form, but those occasions were so rare. Not only that, but Esme discouraged them from doing that too often. She was strict about many things, but she was known as a tyrant when it came to appearing in human form in front of others.

"Only if absolutely necessary." She'd sniff. And she rarely, if ever, found it absolutely necessary for anyone.

Blue knew that being out in the open like this was a risk, but it was a risk she wanted…a risk she _needed_ to take. Living under Esme's iron fist for so many years was breaking her spirit. She wanted to have fun, enjoy life a little, maybe even see what it was like to fall in love. She'd seen so many of her fairy goddaughters swept off of their feet after falling in love with a dashing knight or soldier. Wasn't she entitled to feel that kind of joy?

So she'd done it. No need to pack, if she needed anything, she'd just magic it up for herself. As much as she wanted to say goodbye to her friends, to Seren and Carys, she knew that she couldn't say anything to them. She'd just slipped out of Fairy Glen one evening, fading into the mist and traveling from town to town. She'd been careful about divulging any information about herself, but now that she'd gone a considerable distance from the Glen, she could relax a bit.

She wandered through the stalls at the town market, stopping briefly if their wares seemed appealing. A display of shiny jewelry caught her eye, and she paused to peer at a gold necklace with small green jewels embedded within. The stall keeper paid her no attention, apparently presuming her to be one of the many young women who were drawn to the sparkle, but had no pennies to pay for their heart's desire. She didn't mind. It meant she could admire the jewelry in peace.

"That would look lovely on you."

A deep voice behind her caught her off-guard. She turned to see a man smiling at her. He appeared to be slightly older than her, handsome with graying dark hair cut short. She didn't answer him, just offered a shy smile and turned her attention back to the display.

"Please pardon my impertinence." The voice spoke again. "I simply believe that a beautiful woman is entitled to be adorned with beautiful jewels. I mean no harm."

She faced the man, amusement playing across her face. "Do you buy jewels for women often?"

"Very rarely." He answered, gazing at her intently. So intently that she had to look away, and she knew she was blushing. "In fact, I believe the last jewel I bought was for my mother." He made a small bow. "My name is Albert. I am quite honored to make your acquaintance, Miss…"

"Beyla." She spoke the name before she thought about it, giving the name that was sacred among the fairies, the name they only ever shared with others in their glens. Instead of regret, though, she felt lighter, as if giving this man her true name broke that last bond to her fairy life, and she was now truly free.

"Miss Beyla." He took her small hand in his, kissing it softly. "An enchanting name for an enchanting woman."

"How do you know I'm enchanting?" She challenged him, a playful edge to her voice. "You've just met me."

"I'm a man who trusts his instincts, and my instincts tell me that there is much more to you than meets the eye. " He replied, softly. Only then did she realize that he hadn't released her hand from within his. She wasn't sure she wanted him to let go, if she was being honest with herself. "I am on my way to a nearby inn to take my supper, and although they serve a delicious roast chicken with blackberry currant jam, I'll enjoy my meal much more if you'd consent to join me."

She hesitated, even though she wanted to tell him yes, she would love to dine with him. She wasn't sure she'd ever wanted anything more. She knew where the hesitation came from, it was a holdover from her former life, where the consequences of every decision had to be weighed before she could grant an answer. She didn't have to do that any longer. She could follow what her heart told her to do.

"I'd be very glad to have supper with you." She gazed at him, lashes lowered. Something about this man enticed her. She couldn't put a finger on exactly what it was about him, but she was intrigued enough by her own feelings to try and find out.

"Shall we?" He held out his arm to her. Without a moment of hesitation, she took it and they began the short walk to the inn.


End file.
